If you have a death wish, ride a bike without brakes. I have tried it for fun and could see how survival of the fit works. I mean how dumb can someone be, I get the lets be trendy thing, but fixed gear is just plain stupid.

Single speed, free wheel bikes on the other hand are a blast. Its all I ride on the trails and I every once in a while switch hubs on my Bianchi and ride road single speed. Its alot better than gears, a true challenge.

It's a new trend that is for sure. But like any trend it will die out in a few years. I used to ride BMX when it first started and had no fear but these fixed bikes scare me lol. The riders of these bikes do take pride in them and they look interesting for sure but a good looking bike does not have to have a single gear and no breaks.

I had an old mountain bike that a frankensteined to be a single speed several years ago. It really was fun. I had the gear set a bit too high, so it wasn't that great for trail riding, but it was a kind of cool way to ride. I now have a 21 speed Bianchi road bike, and it's always a little embarrassing to get passed by somebody on a single speed.
One good thing about a fixie-instant karma for somebody who tries to steal it when they stop pedaling and go flying over the handlebars.